FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT CRICKET WORLD CUP - PAGE 2

NEW DELHI: Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has issued a warning to triumphant India about their upcoming World Cup match against South Africa , saying the Proteas were "far, far superior" to arch-rivals Pakistan. Batting superstar Tendulkar helped India win the World Cup four years ago with victory over Sri Lanka at his Wankhede Stadium home ground in Mumbai and also played in six World Cups before retiring from international cricket in 2013. India started the defence of their title with a convincing 76-run win over Pakistan in Adelaide last Sunday, with Virat Kohli -- the new idol of his country's adoring fans in Tendulkar's absence -- making a brilliant 107. However, Tendulkar said India would need a strong opening partnership and careful running between the wickets to beat South Africa, one of the pre-tournament favourites, in this coming Sunday's clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

ADELAIDE/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's jinx against India at cricket World Cup continued today with their heavy defeat in Adelaide, making it 9-0 in favour of India and prompting angry Pakistani fans to take to streets and burn TV sets. India's arch-rivals has now lost to India for the sixth time in 50 over ODI World Cup, besides having been beaten thrice in the Twenty20 World Cups, prompting commentators to ask if Pakistan had a "mental block". The first time India and Pakistan met in a World Cup match was in 1992 when they beat their bitter rivals by 43 runs in Sydney.

The ICC World Cup 2003 final between Australia and India has recorded average Television Viewership Ratings (TVRs) of 25.8, among cable and satellite homes, in the six metro cities in the country. According to a report in a television and media website, Kolkata registered an all-time high TVR of 39.3, followed by Hyderabad (30) and Mumbai (25.5). SET MAX has claimed that a channel share of 71.93 per cent in C&S homes across the country, with Kolkata pegging a high of 81.98 per cent, Hyderabad (74.94 per cent)

The ICC World Cup 2003 final between Australia and India has recorded average Television Viewership Ratings (TVRs) of 25.8, among cable and satellite homes, in the six metro cities in the country. According to a report in a television and media website, Kolkata registered an all-time high TVR of 39.3, followed by Hyderabad (30) and Mumbai (25.5). SET MAX has claimed that a channel share of 71.93 per cent in C&S homes across the country, with Kolkata pegging a high of 81.98 per cent, Hyderabad (74.94 per cent)

NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: The run harvest for brands has begun for the upcoming cricket World Cup , which is being co-hosted by India along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Only 90 days away for the mother of all sports in the subcontinent, brands like LG, Pepsi , Maruti Suzuki, Nokia , Philips, Sony, Reliance Mobile , Future Group, Reebok and Emirates have already made a beeline for the cricketing carnival. Official broadcaster ESPN, which has sold almost 50% of its advertisement inventory, has already roped in seven sponsors.

NEW DELHI: In his sprawling farmhouse at Jamnagar in the west Indian state of Gujarat, Ravindra Jadeja is often seen riding one of his four horses without even a saddle. The 26-year-old all-rounder brings the same insouciance into the cricket field -- whether he is bowling, batting or running backwards chasing a skier. He wears it like an amulet, a protective shield against a condescending world that laughed at his achievements, almost resenting them. Though classified as an all-rounder, the Saurashtra southpaw is no Garfield Sobers.

MUMBAI: The preliminary list of 30 Indian probables for the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is to be finalised here tomorrow by the national selectors, who may include a few proven but currently out-of-form cricketers. The meeting of the five-member selection panel headed by Sandeep Patil is scheduled for 1 pm, Cricket Board ( BCCI ) secretary Sanjay Patel informed PTI. Among the proven performers, who are currently not in top form but were members of the victorious 2011 squad, are Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh and Ashish Nehra.

NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket team's pathetic performance in South Africa and New Zealand earlier has left the leading sponsors livid and critical of the team's lack of efforts, but they are not yet willing to go on record criticising the team. None of the sponsors and advertisers are yet going to the extreme of pulling out their majestic ad campaigns involving cricketers, but at least one of them admitted it might be forced to do so in view of the anti-team sentiment running so high.

WELLINGTON: New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum recorded the fastest-ever World Cup fifty when he reached the landmark off just 18 balls against England at Wellington on Friday. The opener's whirlwind half-century featured seven fours and four sixes as New Zealand rapidly closed in on victory after skittling England out for just 123. McCullum beat his own World Cup record when he carved fast bowler Steven Finn for four, having made a fifty off 20 balls against Canada in 2007.

MELBOURNE: Riding on another strong batting display powered by Shikhar Dhawan's strokeful century, India today crushed South Africa by a massive 130 runs to beat them for the first time in World Cup cricket. India now appear set for a berth in the quarterfinals after their two comprehensive wins over Pakistan and South Africa which places them on top of Group B. They have yet to play the only other team of substance, the West Indies, with the remainder of the group being made up of Ireland, Zimbabwe and UAE. Dhawan's career-best 137 propelled India to a comfortable 307 for seven today before the bowlers performed brilliantly to bundle out the Proteas for 177 in 40.2 overs in what turned out to be a rather lopsided contest at the packed Melbourne Cricket Ground.